Guizhou

Guizhou (贵州; Gùizhōu) is a province in southwestern China.

Cities

• 1 Anshun — tourist center and home of the Huangguoshu Waterfalls
• 2 Guiyang — the capital
• 3 Kaili — gateway to the Miao and Dong minority regions
• 4 Liupanshui — called the Cool City, for its low average summer temperature
• 5 Zunyi — communist pilgrimage site, and also administratively covers the town of Maotai, which produces China's national liquor
• 6 Xingyi — county level city in southwest China with rich karst topography such as Maling Valley, Ten Thousand Peaks Forest, etc.
• 7 Weining — home of Cao Hai Lake, known for its 170+ bird species including the black-necked crane
• 8 Taijiang — has the title of "the first county of Miao nationality in the world"
• 9 Tongren — gateway to Mount Fanjing (Fanjingshan)
• 10 Zhenyuan — historic city in the county of the same name, surrounded by karst scenery

Other destinations

• Site of Hailongtun Tusi Fortress, a castle ruin which is one of three Tusi sites on the UNESCO World Heritage List
• Fanjingshan, a part of the Wuling mountain range which due to its unique geology and diverse wildlife was inscribed on the world heritage list in 2018
• Miao and Dong villages: 11 Lang De, a Miao village 20 km south of Kaili; Xijiang (西江), large traditional Miao village located in LeiGongshan national park; and 12 Zhaoxing (肇兴), idyllic Dong minority town nestling in a valley
• Xiaoqikong and Daqikong, two marvelously lush scenic areas in Libo County

• Huangguoshu Falls: one of the famous waterfalls in China, located in Anshun City, 77.8 meters high and 101 meters wide, it is known as "the first waterfall in China".

Libo small seven holes: located in Libo County, is a magnificent Karst landscape scenic spot, with seven natural bridge caves, as well as streams, waterfalls and landscape beauty.

• Guiyang Qingyan ancient town: this is a well-preserved Ming and Qing ancient buildings, with a long history and unique cultural customs.

• Zhaoxing Dong Zhai: Zhaoxing Village, located in southeast Guizhou, is one of the representative places of Dong culture. Tourists can enjoy the architecture, clothing, song and dance and customs of Dong nationality.

• Qianhu Miao Village in southeastern Guizhou: this is a large Miao settlement, famous for its spectacular wooden buildings, rich Miao culture and beautiful natural environment.

• Guiyang Huaxi Park: it is a scenic spot in Guiyang City, with beautiful lakes, mountains and gardens, suitable for leisure walk and enjoy the natural beauty.

• p Tongren Wanfeng Forest: this place is famous for its strange Karst landform, with countless stone peaks, caverns and streams, which is very suitable for adventure and photography enthusiasts.

Zhenyuan, an ancient town in southern Guizhou, preserves the architectural style of the Ming and Qing dynasties, such as the ancient city walls, hanging feet and temples, and is a cultural resort with a long history.

• Guiyang Qianling Mountain Park: this is a large urban park, with majestic Buddhist temples, mountain scenery and garden landscape, to provide quiet leisure places for tourists.

Understand

Guizhou, located in the southwest of China, is a mountainous and multi-ethnic province.

  History

1. Ancient history: Guizhou area as early as the 11th century BC Spring and Autumn Warring States period recorded human activities.In ancient times, there were many independent tribes and princes in this area, such as Guizhou, Dethronation, Miao and Chu.

2. Qin and Han Dynasties: Guizhou was gradually unified in the Qin and Han Dynasties and became a part of the Chinese Empire.This period witnessed the road construction, the extension of the system of farming, and the spread of culture.

3. Tang and Song Dynasties: In the Tang and Song Dynasties, Guizhou became an important area of military and cultural exchanges.The karst landform and mountains and rivers of Guizhou are praised as "the famous places in Guizhou".

4. Ming and Qing Dynasties: In Ming and Qing Dynasties, great changes took place in Guizhou.After the establishment of the Qing Dynasty, it became a multi-ethnic settlement, and the cultures of all ethnic groups were integrated in this period.At the same time, Guizhou became the birthplace of many anti-Qing uprising.

5. Modern History: Guizhou also experienced a series of political and social changes in modern history.In the early 20th century, Guizhou became one of the main bases of the Kuomintang.After the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, Guizhou became a province of China.

Climate

The climate of Guizhou is changeable, because of the difference of terrain, there are mountain climate and subtropical climate. It is warm and humid in summer and relatively cold in winter. It is suitable for summer travel.

Talk

The local dialect of Guizhou is similar to that of Sichuan. Few can understand English. Standard Mandarin can be understood by most although in the countryside and smaller cities most people may only be able to reply in their local dialect. There are some unique terms in the various regional dialects in Guizhou; however, the most noticeable differences are in the local pronunciation, which differs widely from standard Mandarin.

Get in

By air from Shanghai the journey takes around two and a half hours and from Hong Kong one and a half hours. The journey is about 1800 km. The airport for domestic flights was completed in 2013. The international airport, however, is using the old facility which is small with only a few gates and no shops except for tobacco. Seems that there are only a few international flights to and from Guiyang (KWE ^IATA), mainly Hong Kong, Taiwan, Macao and Seoul.

Get around

Local roads in Guiyang city are in good condition and taxis are plentiful. However, to travel from one city to another and then further into the countryside, roads can be in very poor condition, or only under construction (travelling together with bulldozers...). Taxis in smaller cities tend to gather several travellers into one car in order to compensate for the very low fares (¥3 as a start fare for the first 2.5 km in 2013). In some smaller cities, the meter is hardly ever used and there are "fixed" fares from the station to the city, from the city to some center of interests.... So, be prepared to be flexible in that respect. Trains are quite reliable, although not as comfortable as the newest high speed trains in richer provinces.

See

The area is mountainous, and there are many opportunities for hiking. The paths can be slippery due to animal excrement and the bushes can be thorny. There is much beautiful scenery including valley views and distant horizons. One of the greatest attractions to Guizhou is the Huangguoshu Waterfall, known to be the biggest waterfall in China. The eastern area of Guizhou is very green and you can see many rice fields in terrace as well as go through numerous small charming villages where you can also rest in guest houses. The China Danxia landscape near Chisui are inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Mount Fanjing

• 1 Mount Fanjing (梵净山, Fànjìngshān). With 2570 m the highest peak of the Wuling Mountains in the Fanjingshan National Nature Reserve which was designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 1986. Fanjingshan is a sacred mountain in Chinese Buddhism, considered to be the bodhimaṇḍa of the Maitreya Buddha, and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2018. (updated Jun 2019)

Do

There are many walks and places to visit in the vicinity of the capital Guiyang.

Guizhou is home to many ethnic minorities (mainly the Miao and the Dong). Festivals are held all year round, and are great ways to experience the local customs.

Itineraries

Hong Kong to Kunming overland passes through the southern part portion of the province.

Eat

There is a wide variety of foods available, with the local taste being for spicy dishes. The food can be very tasty. The hot pot can be excellent. Another specialty is the sour spicy fish soup that can be tasted in many cities in Guizhou. Barbecue on the streets is a local favorite as are as all sorts of rice noodles and pasta, mixed with ingredients such as pickled vegetables.

Drink

Moutai and home made rice wine made by villagers.

Stay safe

While hiking in the mountains, watch out for the narrow ledges. Also, always remember sunscreen and water while enjoying the countryside and watching wildlife.